Edward Finch

Evidence of systematic approaches to innovation in facilities management

Purpose – This paper seeks to examine the nature of “service innovation” in the facilities management (FM) context. It reviews recent thinking on “service innovation” as distinct from “product innovation”. Applying these contemporary perspectives it describes UK case studies of 11 innovations in different FM organisations. These include both in‐house client‐based innovations and third‐party innovations.Design/methodology/approach – The study described in the paper encompasses 11 different innovations that constitute a mix of process, product and practice innovations. All of the innovations stem from UK‐based organisations that were subject to in‐depth interviews regarding the identification, screening, commitment of resources and implementation of the selected innovations.Findings – The research suggested that service innovation is highly active in the UK FM sector. However, the process of innovation rarely followed a common formalized path. Generally, the innovations were one‐shot commitments at the earl...

Reading between the Lines

How often do we use the word “academic” to mean irrelevant or inconsequential to real life issues? Research from the academic community is often treated with the same reservations. Reports how the Department of Construction Management and Engineering at Reading University is linking up with commercial organizations in collaborative FM related research. Like other UK universities involved in FM, it is seeking to break down the academic‐industrial divide. Despite having a strong reputation in the construction sector, Reading has often been accused of being ambivalent about its position in facilities management. Claims that some light may be shed on this confusion from this discussion.

The 28th BCSC Shopping Centre Management Conference and Exhibition 2007, 26‐28 February 2007

Purpose – This paper aims to review the 28th BCSC Shopping Centre Management Conference and Exhibition 2007, held at Edinburgh International Conference Centre, Edinburgh, from 26 to 28 February 2007, organised by the British Council Shopping Centre (BCSC) in association with the College of Estate Management.Design/methodology/approach – Discusses the themes of the presentations including the importance of a brand for business excellence, utilising the shopping centre assets, the key issues surrounding the new service charge code, the future of brands and performing in a changing world.Findings – New ideas and issues presented by the speakers gave an opportunity for practitioners and researchers to share good practice and explore the evolution of the current retail business climate.Originality/value – The paper provides an overview of the 28th BCSC Shopping Centre Conference and Exhibition 2007.